Will Zucker is hiking a part of the Big Island in his annual fight against hunger.

Zucker, sales manager at Mahalo Broadcasting (LAVA 105.3fm/KKOA 107.7 fm/KHNU 620 AM), is in the progress of walking 126 miles from Hilo up the Hamakua Coast, through Waimea and Waikoloa to Kona, to raise awareness of the need for donations to Food Basket, Hawaii Island’s Food Bank.

Zucker says his goal is 110,000 pounds of food, or the equivalent, donated at KTA stores around the island during his hike. But he says he really hopes to get to 150,000. In his 2011 Hike Against Hunger, he raised the equivalent of 100,000 pounds of food—a combination of nonperishable food donations and cash, which the Food Basket uses to buy food.

The Food Basket is an island wide, supplemental food network that collects and distributes nutritious, high quality food to low income households, the working poor, the disabled, the ill, senior citizens, children’s programs and other charitable organizations that serve this population. Supplemental food is provided regardless of religious beliefs, gender or ethnicity.

Zucker started by spending a day at KTA at Puanako on Saturday, November 3 and Sunday, November 4, collecting food and donations.

In the next few days, November 6 and 7, he’ll be walking up the Hamakua Coast, camping out overnight, with plans to arrive at KTA Waimea by Wednesday, November 7 for a 3 p.m. until 7 p.m. food collection.

The morning of Thursday, November 18, he’ll walk from Waimea to Waikoloa KTA for a food and donation collection lasting from 3 p.m. until 7 p.m. He plans to wake from Waikoloa to KTA in Kailua-Kona in the Kona Coast Shopping Center on Palani Road the morning of Friday, November 9.

The food and donations collection will be at KTA Kona Friday, November 9 from 3 p.m. until 7 p.m. Saturday morning, November 10, he’ll walk from the Kona KTA to Keauhou KTA, for an all-day food and donation collection from 10 a.m. until 4 p.m. The final day of food and cash collection will be at KTA Keauhou on Sunday, November 11 from 10 a.m. until 4 p.m.

This is Zucker’s fourth annual Hike for Hunger. Hawaii Island Food Basket says the holidays are the most desperate time of the year, with the demand for food being highest. They are seeking donations of nonperishable food, especially meats and protein. They also welcome cash donations, as each dollar donated can purchase seven pounds of food.

Those wishing to “Walk with Will” should call him at 990-0990. There is more information about Hawaii Island’s Food Basket at their web site, /www.foodbaskethi.org. Nani Lee, Director of Hawaii Island Food Basket also welcomes questions about The Food Basket at 933-6030

To expedite repairs to Civil Defense warning sirens that didn’t function properly during November’s monthly siren test, State Civil Defense technicians flew to the Big Island Friday to inspect and repair four sirens on the west side of the island (Puakō, Kamehameha Park, Kahaluʻu Beach Park and Nāpoʻopoʻo).

Meanwhile, personnel from Hawaiʻi County Civil Defense and the Hawaiʻi Police Department’s Radio Shop worked through the weekend to oversee and inspect seven sirens on the east side of the island. Of those, two functioned properly (Kawailani and Paʻauilo), three were repaired over the weekend (Pāpaʻikou, ʻOʻōkala and Paradise Park and) and one (Honokaʻa) was completed Monday (November 5) by a private contractor.

State Civil Defense technicians returned to the Big Island on Monday and repaired the siren at Laupāhoehoe Point.

The two remaining sirens that are not functioning, one at Hakalau, which was knocked over in a car crash, and one at Waiaka, which has a frozen motor, require new parts and extensive work by private contractors. State Civil Defense hopes to have the Hakalau siren in operation in time for the December monthly test. A time line has not been established for the Waiaka siren.

Hawaiʻi County Civil Defense Administrator Ben Fuata said he appreciates the assistance of the Police Department and State Civil Defense for working “tirelessly” through the weekend along with his staff. “We’ve made a substantial dent in improving the efficiency and enhancing the readiness of our emergency siren alerting system,” Fuata said. “For that I am grateful and indebted to them for their service.”

Police Chief Harry S. Kubojiri added that the collaboration of the three agencies and private contractors is an example of the Police Department’s partnership with the community. “The public’s safety is our number one concern,” Kubojiri said. “That cannot be compromised.”

The Hawaii Conservation Alliance is currently recruiting members for the 2013 Hawaii Conservation Conference Abstract Committee. This is your chance to contribute to the conference’s success by influencing the content of the sessions and presentations! Please volunteer and encourage your colleagues to also sign up to help review session proposals and abstracts for the 2013 Hawaii Conservation Conference “Living Today, Sustaining Tomorrow: Connecting People, Places and Planet.”

The 2013 Hawaii Conservation Conference will be happening at the Hawaii Convention Center

Help develop criteria and guidelines for session proposal and abstract submissions. Review proposals for symposia, forums, workshops, and trainings. Review and accept/reject abstract submissions. Assist in developing conference program and schedule. Help identify session moderators and update guidelines for moderators. Assist with final editing of abstract and program book.

Hawai‘i Volcanoes National Park urges motorists to slow down and watch out for our endangered nēnē while driving on Highway 11 and other park roadways.

The park urges drivers to be cautious of nēnē in the roadway and to pay attention to all posted nēnē crossing signs. The nēnē in this photo is on Chain of Craters Road. NPS Photo/Michael Szoenyi

A female nēnē was killed early Friday morning along Chain of Craters Road, and her mate remains near the site. The young pair was preparing to nest.

As nesting season begins, nēnē, particularly females, are focused on eating. They must build up enough body fat to produce eggs and sustain them through the 30-day incubation period. As a result, females and their watchful mates are out not only during the day, but are also foraging at dusk and dawn and even throughout the night when the moon is bright.

Due to recent drought conditions, the vegetation is particularly dry at many of the favored breeding sites, pushing nēnē to move further afield in search of adequate food. Unfortunately, rain runoff from the pavement, combined with ground disturbance along road edges, often makes for lush grassy strips along roads, enticing birds to feed in dangerous spots. Furthermore, nēnē may be difficult to see along roadsides because their coloring often blends in with the surrounding area.

The park has placed nēnē crossing signs on roads where birds are known to congregate or cross, and where vehicle kills occur most frequently. Motorists are urged to pay attention to the signs and proceed cautiously.

“It’s imperative that drivers use caution throughout all nēnē crossing zones. It is understandable that people get complacent when they do not see nēnē in these areas for a long time; however, the park strongly urges motorists to pay attention to the signs and slow down,” said park wildlife biologist Kathleen Misajon.

Incidents of people feeding nēnē also have contributed to recent vehicle kills, Misajon said. On Oct. 1, a 16-year-old male – a father of three fledglings last season – was killed by a vehicle along Highway 11, one mile outside of the park’s Ka‘ū boundary. He was likely drawn to this location by feeding, which continues to be a problem at this site, attracting more nēnē to the roadside and increasing their odds of becoming the next road kill.

“Nēnē have significant threats to contend with, from predation by cats, mongooses and other introduced predators, to loss of habitat made worse by drought conditions. This species is really fighting an uphill battle. We ask the public to help us rebuild nēnē populations by minimizing vehicle-related nēnē deaths,” Misajon said.

Big Island police are searching for a 32-year-old Oahu man wanted on two bench warrants for contempt of court.

Joseph Roy Carrion

Joseph Roy Carrion frequently travels to the Big Island and may be in the Waikoloa area.

He is described as 5-foot-5, 165 pounds with black hair and brown eyes.

Police ask that anyone with information on his whereabouts call the Police Department’s non-emergency line at 935-3311.

Tipsters who prefer to remain anonymous may call Crime Stoppers at 961-8300 in Hilo or 329-8181 in Kona and may be eligible for a reward of up to $1,000. Crime Stoppers is a volunteer program run by ordinary citizens who want to keep their community safe. Crime Stoppers doesn’t record calls or subscribe to caller ID. All Crime Stoppers information is kept confidential.

Two tour group companies are seeking dismissal of a federal wrongful death lawsuit filed against them after White Plains teen Tyler Madoff was swept out to sea July 4 while on a guided tour in Hawaii.

Golden, Colo.-based Bold Earth Teen Adventures and Kealakekua, Hawaii-based Hawaii Pack and Paddle LLC, claim the lawsuit filed by Tyler’s parents in August in federal court in Honolulu was filed in the wrong court.

In motions filed Nov. 1 in federal court, the companies argue that the 15-year-old’s parents, Michael and Marianne, entered into two contracts prior to the trip, binding them to litigate any lawsuit in Jefferson County, Colo., which is the county where Bold Earth is headquartered. A “Liability Agreement” was executed electronically “more than five months before the trip” and a “Parent Agreement” was hand-signed by Marianne “more than three months before the trip,” the motions say…